


Unearned Unhappiness

by P_i_z_z_a



Category: Suits (TV)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Mike is a BAMF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-04
Updated: 2011-12-04
Packaged: 2017-10-26 21:09:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/287943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/P_i_z_z_a/pseuds/P_i_z_z_a
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mike is a badass, but he's also a bit of an idiot. Harvey doesn’t have feelings, so he isn't worrying. Really, he isn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unearned Unhappiness

The first time Mike comes to work looking like he’s started his own personal fight club, Harvey doesn't give it much thought. He just glares at Mike (or, more specifically, the bruises and black eye on the left hand side of his face) and doesn't let him sit in on client meetings until he looks normal again. Mike doesn't say anything, and Harvey doesn't really care, so the event passes without much fanfare.

Harvey almost misses the next one - almost, but he’s Harvey and so of course he notices. It’s the way Mike’s riding that little bit slower, the slight wince he makes as he dismounts his bike. Harvey glares at Mike, jerks his thumb towards the building and storms off to his office, not bothering to check that Mike is following him. Once the door of Harvey’s office is closed behind them, Donna keeping watch to make sure they aren’t disturbed, Harvey barks at Mike to remove his shirt. Mike hesitates, glances at the glass doors, but obeys (because it’s Harvey, so disobeying doesn’t even cross Mike’s mind). It’s not too bad, just recent and so the bruises on his torso are still tender. “What are you even doing?” Harvey wonders. Mike shrugs sheepishly as he lowers his shirt. “That was rhetorical,” Harvey remarks, gesturing towards the couch. The way Mike sits down reminds Harvey of a dog that knows it’s in trouble.

“Is Trevor back?” Harvey asks. Mike shakes his head. “Are you in any sort of trouble?” There’s a pause, almost indiscernible, before Mike shakes his head again. “Then what the hell are you doing that’s causing you to come to work like...this,” Harvey falters towards the end, and settles for indicating to Mike’s body. Mike still doesn’t speak, just shrugs.

Harvey regards his associate carefully before he speaks again. “Whatever it is, I’m giving you one chance to take care of it.” Mike sinks into the couch, but nods. “I’m serious,” Harvey continues. “You come to work with so much as a scratch and you’re not leaving here until I get the full story out of you. And the proper story, not whatever half-baked lie you can come up with. Got it?”

“Got it,” Mike mutters. “Can I...can I leave now?”

“You may,” Harvey says, feeling far too much like a headmaster. Mike makes his way out of the office. Donna gives him a Look as he passes.

“What are you going to do, Harvey?” she asks over the intercom.

“Hopefully nothing,” Harvey murmurs as he watches his associate leave.  
________________________________________

When Mike comes in three weeks later with his right hand in a splint, Harvey growls and drags Mike into his office. Literally drags. Harvey ignores Mike’s protests and forces him onto the couch (perhaps not as gently as he should have, given Mike’s injuries).

“You remember that little chat we had?” Harvey asks. Mike nods, but doesn’t speak. He looks genuinely scared. “Then talk. What the hell is going on with you?”

“I don’t live in the friendliest neighbourhood,” Mike shrugs. Harvey glances at the splint, then back to Mike.

“You’re getting paid an exorbitant amount of money in your base salary alone, never mind bonuses, and you’re still living in that apartment? Why haven’t you moved out?”

Mike squirms, and refuses to meet Harvey’s eyes. “I’m not supposed to have this job,” he says quietly. “I’m saving most of it. Medical bills aren’t cheap.” The last sentence causes Harvey to double take. “Not mine,” Mike clarifies when he sees Harvey’s face. “My Gram’s.”

“You’re not going to get fired. Move out.”

“You say that now,” Mike says, finally making eye contact. “How many times have I almost been caught? And I can’t just break my lease.”

“Actually, you can,” Harvey points out.

“Okay. I can’t afford to break my lease,” Mike clarifies.

“We’ve been over this Mike. You make a lot of money.”

“Which I’m saving most of for when I’m eventually fired.”

“You won’t be fired.”

“I will when they find out.”

They stay there, staring each other down, for far too long. Eventually, Harvey sighs. “Do you need me to do anything?” he asks with surprising sincerity.

“Like what?”

“I’m a lawyer, Mike. What do you think I’d do?”

“I’m a lawyer too, Harvey,” Mike says, somehow managing to sound condescending.

“In that case, boxing was always big at Harvard,” Harvey adds casually.

Mike looks at Harvey, surprised. “Why would I need that sort of help? I always win.”  
________________________________________

One month later and Mike is out of the splint. They’re distracted by a case, and another ‘Oh Shit, People Almost Know That Mike Doesn’t Have A Degree’ scare, and Harvey all but forgets about their talk.

But it’s Mike, so it doesn’t take long for everything to screw up spectacularly.

Mike leaves his phone at the office and Harvey, in a rare display of humanity, is actually returning it. He’s also doing it in the middle of the night. Harvey knows it’s crazy, but something just doesn’t feel right and he wants to check in on the kid.

If Harvey were a lesser being, complete with feelings, he would say he was worried about the kids.

He’s walking from the cab to Mike’s apartment when he’s suddenly pulled into an alleyway, pushed against a wall and has a knife to his throat. “Hey there Suit,” a voice behind him taunts, and it’s just cliché enough that Harvey almost bursts out laughing.

Almost. He’s well aware of that knife.

“You’ve got a choice,” the mugger continues, voice low. “You can either give me your phone and wallet, or I can slice your neck open. Take your pick.” Harvey doesn’t say a word, just reaches into his pocket and hands over his decoy wallet and Mike’s phone. The mugger leaves, satisfied, and Harvey breathes a shaky sigh of relief. The whole event took maybe a minute, and it seems unreal to Harvey. He doesn’t need to pinch himself to check he’s awake though - he can still feel where the knife was pressed to his skin. He pauses to check his suit before leaving the alley.

Harvey is a man with his priorities in order.

He makes it to Mike’s apartment unscathed, but he only knocks once before opening the door and inviting himself in. Mike is sprawled out on his couch, TV still on and a half-eaten bowl of popcorn on his lap, threatening to fall on the floor. He’s halfway through waking up, and makes a questioning sound, still not quite coherent. There’s a feeling of relief and something else in Harvey’s stomach.

“You left your phone at the office,” Harvey announces.

Mike stares at him, confused, and then blinks a few times. “Oh. Right,” Mike says, as if it’s a perfectly acceptable reason for Harvey to barge in to his apartment at some god-awful hour of the morning. There’s a pause before he asks, “Where is it?”

“Gone.”

“Gone?”

“Gone.”

“...And are you going to tell me where it is?”

“Someone stole it.”

“How?”

“I was mugged.”

“So you gave them my phone?”

“I wasn’t going to give them mine!”

Mike blinks, and then he actually processes the conversation. “Wait. You were mugged? Are you alright?”

“Of course I am,” Harvey says, shoving Mike over to make room on the couch before sitting down next to him. He wrinkles his nose at the dirty laundry and empty take-out cartons on the floor. “You actually bring people back here?”

“Uh-uh. No deflection. What happened?” Mike pushes himself up so he’s sitting, his shoulder almost touching Harvey’s.

“You left your phone at the office. I came to return it, and was mugged on the way here. I gave them yours, and then came here.”

“Why were you trying to return my phone at-” he pauses to check his watch - “two in the morning?”

“Because you left it in my office.”

“I was objecting to the ‘two in the morning’ part,” Mike says. Then he frowns. “Then again, why would you ever return my phone?”

“Because you’re my associate and I need you to always be reachable.”

“And all those other times I left it behind?”

Harvey doesn’t have an answer for that. Instead, he reaches into the bowl and grabs a handful of popcorn. He grimaces when he realises it’s both cold and cheap. “How do you eat this crap?”

“Deflecting again. What happened, Harvey?”

It’s the hesitation Harvey has before answering that makes Mike realise the severity of the situation. “It’s possible that I may have...some concern for your well-being and might have decided to check that you’re okay.” Harvey, rather than meeting Mike’s eyes, is staring down at his hands.

“Aw. You’re worried about me. You have feelings!” Mike teases. He softens when Harvey doesn’t react. “Hey. It’s alright,” he says softly. “I’m alright.”

“For now.”

“Harvey, nothing’s going to hap-”

“I was just mugged right outside your doorstep, Mike. I had a knife held to my throat. More than once you’ve come to work with injuries sustained from battery. You’ve been lucky so far, but one day it’s going to end badly so don’t you tell me that nothing’s going to happen.” Harvey doesn’t realise he’s yelling until someone from next-door knocks on the wall, calling out to keep it down. “Something needs to chance, Mike,” Harvey finishes softly. He doesn’t wait for Mike’s response, but instead he makes his way towards the door.

“Harvey!” Mike calls out. Harvey doesn’t respond, just slams the door shut. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it like that!”

Harvey doesn’t return.  
________________________________________

Harvey is sulking in his office when Mike comes to work the next day. Mike goes to enter, but one look from Donna stops him in his tracks. “I-I’ll be back later,” Mike stammers. “Maybe.” Donna keeps glaring. “You know what? Harvey knows where I am. He can just come find me when he needs to.” Mike scurries off towards the bullpen, not sparing a second glance inside Harvey’s office.

Harvey watches Mike leave. “You can’t avoid him forever,” Donna says over the intercom.

Harvey ignores her.  
________________________________________

It turns out that Harvey is very good at avoiding people. He spends most of his time out of the office, and the only interaction Mike has with him is the occasional paperwork left on his desk. He spends most of his time working under Louis.

Speaking of...

“So you and Harvey aren’t best buds anymore?”

Mike jumps, and looks up to see Louis is leaning over his cubicle.

“It’s alright, you know,” Louis continues. “Harvey’s a dead-end. A road to nowhere. He’s not going to be able to help you. Not like I can.”

“Harvey’s Senior Partner,” Mike points out.

Louis ignores him. “Stay with me and you can really go places.”

“You know, I really have work to do,” Mike says, flinging his messenger bag over his shoulder and making towards the library.

“Your loss,” Louis calls out after him. “Seeing as, you know, Harvey doesn’t seem to really care about you.”

“You couldn’t be more wrong,” Mike retaliates, turning around. Louis, however, has already disappeared.

Mike pauses.

Then he realises what an idiot he’s been.  
________________________________________

It’s only once Harvey leaves the office on Friday night, almost three days after the confrontation in Mike’s apartment, that he lets his guard down. That lasts until he enters his car.

He didn’t expect Mike to be waiting there.

“We need to talk,” Mike says, staring up at Harvey.

“We really don’t,” Harvey replies firmly, reaching down to grab Mike and pull him out of the car. Mike, however, is stronger than he looks. He reverses the move, somehow pulling Harvey into the car with him. The car pulls out from the kerb, and for a brief moment Harvey almost wants to fire Ray.

Almost. It would be a lot of trouble to try find a replacement.

They sit in silence for close to ten blocks. Harvey glares, and Mike worries his lip and fiddles with his hands. Finally, Mike speaks.

“You’re angry with me.”

“Well-done Mike. You’re powers of observation are truly amazing.”

“I’m not going to die, Harvey,” Mike says, ignoring Harvey’s remarks. “My neighbourhood really isn’t so bad.”

“Oh yes. I wasn’t really mugged, I was momentarily transported to an alternate dimension where everything’s opposite.”

“We live in New York. You carry a decoy wallet. It’s not like you don’t know it could happen.”

“You have neighbours that beat you up on a regular basis.”

“I don’t get beaten up,” Mike points out. “I win.”

“You still come out injured. You can’t call a fight where you walk away with your hand in a splint a resounding success.”

“They’ve sort of backed off a bit now!”

Harvey has to roll his eyes at that. “I was still mugged, Mike. What if that had been you?”

“Well if you don’t do anything to provoke them, you’re fine!” Mike exclaims.

“Then what did I do while walking from a cab to your apartment that pissed someone off that badly?”

Mike eyes Harvey’s three piece Tom Ford. “You were a bit of an obvious target.”

“And that’s reason enough to mug me?”

“If you’re desperate...”

“Then what did you do Mike? What did you do that causes you to get beat up every other week.”

Mike shrugs. “They’re homophobic. I brought a guy back once.”

Harvey frowns. “You’re gay?”

“Bi. Is it a problem?”

“No, it’s not. That’s the point - you shouldn’t have to put up with that just because you sometimes sleep with guys.”

“There’s not much I can do about it, Harvey.”

Not for the first time Harvey wants to choke Trevor for making Mike so complacent, making him think that things couldn’t get better.

“So that’s it then? You’re going to live in that apartment, keep putting up with those thugs until one day they finally get the better of you?”

“It’s not that easy, Harvey! We’re not all rich like you. I can’t afford to break my lease, find a new, safer, and most likely more expensive place, pay my Gram’s medical bills and keep up with what’s expected here!”

“Then move in with me!”

The words are out of Harvey’s mouth before he realises what he’s said. He doesn’t take them back though. Mike regards him carefully, and the silence is definitely. For a brief moment, Harvey wonders if this is what it’s like to be nervous.

“You’re serious,” Mike says after what feels like an age. Harvey nods. “Harvey ‘I’m Against Having Feelings’ Specter is asking me to move in with him because he’s worried about me.”

“I’m not asking. And I’m not worried about you, I just don’t want your death hanging over me.”

Mike ignores him, and grins. “So can we stay up late? Braid each other’s hair?”

“Don’t make me regret this,” Harvey warns. Mike shuts up. The grin from his face falls.

“We’ve been over this. I’m not sure I can afford to break my lease and pay you rent.”

Harvey shrugs. “Who said anything about paying rent?” Mike starts to protest, but Harvey cuts him off. “I’m serious. Break your lease, or keep paying the rent until the lease is up. You can start paying me rent after that, if you want.”

“I can’t take your charity, Harvey.”

They pull up outside of Harvey’s building, and the pair get out of the car.

“Think about it, at least?” Harvey asks as Mike hails a cab. Mike hesitates, but nods.

“I’ll see you Monday,” Mike says softly, as he gets in the cab. Harvey waves him goodbye, then makes his way to his condo.

He’s got until Monday to work out how he’s going to convince Mike to move in. Easy.  
________________________________________

Donna’s phone rings and she groans, rolls over and blindly reaches for it on her bedside table. She fumbles with it and manages to answer, all without opening her eyes.

“Harvey?” she says, because who else would it be?”

“I need help.”

“I want that in writing.”

“Please, Donna?” he asks, and she sighs and opens her eyes.

“This couldn’t have waited until morning,” she asks, eyeing the clock. “It’s only three hours away.”

“How do I get Mike to move in with me?”

“Seriously? That’s what you woke me up at four a.m. for?” There’s silence. “Why am I even asking, of course you would.

“Mike worships you, Harvey. You don’t need to do anything.”

“I already offered and he turned me down,” Harvey says.

“Damn. Kid has balls.”

“Not helping, Donna.”

“Look,” she says. “You’re emotionally stunted. Why do you want him to move in with you?”

“So he doesn’t die.”

“And why don’t you want him to die?”

“Because it would reflect badly on me.”

“Try again, Harvey.”

“...Because very, very deep down I might care about him.”

“There you go. Tell him that.” Donna hangs up the phone, and Harvey is left wondering just how he’s going to do that.  
________________________________________

Monday morning comes around, and Harvey still doesn’t know what he’s going to do.

In the end, it doesn’t matter. Mike is late, and by nine a.m. Harvey is sitting in Mike’s cubicle, ready to chew the kid out when he finally gets in.

“Waiting for Mike?” Louis asks, suddenly materialising behind Harvey. “You’ll be there awhile,” Louis smirks. “He’s in the hospital.”

“Which one?” Harvey demands, and Louis shrinks. He gives the name and watches Harvey rush out without making a single snide remark.  
________________________________________

Harvey bursts in to the main door of the hospital, and pushes his way to the front of the line at the front desk. “Mike Ross,” Harvey pants. “I think he was admitted last night.”

The receptionist turns to her computer, and Harvey bounces up and down slightly on the balls of his feet. “I’m sorry sir,” the girl eventually says. “He was checked into Emergency, but it looks like he’s already been discharged.”

“What do you mean, discharged?”

“He’s already left, sir,” the girl says sweetly.

Harvey growls. “I know what ‘discharged’ means. How can he-”

“Harvey!”

Harvey turns around, and there’s Mike. He doesn’t run over to him, but he’s close to it.

“Man, you’re a mess,” Mike says, reaching up to neaten Harvey’s hair. Harvey blinks, and stares at Mike.

“You’re the one who’s been in hospital,” he points out.

Mike shakes his head. “Emergency. Completely different. Now let’s get breakfast, I’m starved.”

Harvey follows Mike out, and, for the first time in a very long time, he’s dumbfounded.  
________________________________________

“So what happened?” Harvey asks once Mike finally finishes scarfing down his plate of pancakes. They’re at a nearby café, out of the way enough that it’s reasonably quiet.

“Nothing much,” Mike shrugs, and Harvey glares at him. “I’m serious! Nothing happened!”

Harvey sighs, and then remembers the conversation he had with Donna. “I’m only going to say this once Mike - I care about you, and I’m worried about you. What happened?”

Mikes stares at him for a good minute, surprised. “Okay. Something happened,” he finally admits, his voice soft. “It wasn’t anything major though!”

“Only you would be admitted into hospital and not think it’s anything major,” Harvey sighs.

“It’s not! It’s just a flesh wound!”

“You’re quoting Monty Python, so you can’t be too bad,” Harvey notes. “Now tell me. What happened?”

“Attempted stabbing,” Mike says plainly. Harvey’s eyes widen. “Attempted being the operative word” Mike adds hastily. “It’s more like a glancing cut. Barely nicked me.”

“Show me,” Harvey demands. Mike lifts up his shirt, and reveals a three inch long cut, neatly stitched, just above his hips on his right hand side.

“They weren’t very good with a knife,” Mike adds casually, but his voice wavers slightly. Harvey looks up to him, and meets his eyes.

“Hey Harvey?” Mike asks, his voice small.

“Yeah?”

“Can I move in with you?”  
________________________________________

Harvey looks from Mike, to the three boxes on the floor the old apartment, back to Mike. “That’s it?”

“Yup.”

“That’s everything you own. Right there. In those three boxes.” Mike gives a satisfied nod. “How do you even live?”

“Quite well, thank you.” He pauses. “Would it make you feel better if I told you I’ve got another two in storage?”

“It really doesn’t,” Harvey sighs, before lifting one of the boxes and leading the way to his car. “The things I will show you...”

“I’ll be on my way up? I’ll see great sights? I’ll join the high fliers who soar to great heights?”

“Dr. Seuss? How old are you, five?”

“Theodor Geisel is always relevant.”

Harvey shakes his head.

He doesn’t regret this.


End file.
